The North Vancouver Regional Ecumenical Support Team (REST) is a partnership of 10 churches and individuals who have come together to support the sponsorship of refugees. The group operates in close cooperation with the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

REST 2017 in Review

REST 2017 Year End Review

What an exciting year we have had in North Vancouver. Here
are some highlights:

Honada, Said, Nour, Ahmad and Ibrahim arrived in January.

·Honada and Said have worked hard at improving
their English through LINC classes, provided at North Shore Multicultural
Society and with the support of a team of drivers and tutors.

·All of the kids have settled beautifully into
school, with both schools advocating for appropriate levels of support for Nour
and Ibrahim. Both kids have now been assessed by a Psychologist and we are
waiting for her report.

·All of the kids have been treated by dentists
and doctors, with both Nour and Ahmad being seen be specialists. Ibrahim will
go to Children’s hospital in the New Year to finish off his dental treatment.

·Both Nour and Honada have had gall bladder
surgery and are recovering nicely.

·Said has gained Canadian work experience,
working with Balraj Singh on house building and remodeling.

·Said has received a full set of dentures and now
has a handsome and comfortable set of teeth!

·5 birthday parties!

·A great deal of paperwork, including housing
applications, permanent resident cards, health services, and many more.

·Dealt with a robbery and a basement flood!

Still in the works:

·Finding long-term housing by the end of January
and helping the family move. They are looking for a 2 or 3 bedroom place and
hope to stay in their current neighborhood.

·Finding full time work for Said and part time
work for Honada.

·Getting a driver’s license for Said. He now has
proof of driving record, but we are trying to get a copy of the Driver training
guide in Arabic so that he can pass the written test. Then he needs a few
lessons and can take his full license.

Bukhari arrived!

·Thanks to the careful attention of Wilna and
Dave Parry and to Amyn, Bukhari had a very soft landing in Canada, had
amazingly quick visits to the dentist, doctors, and CNIB, and got registered
for classes for the visually impaired at VCC.

·We have now hired a part-time, live-in caregiver
named Max, and moved both men into a very nice apartment in Vancouver, walking
distance to VCC.

·Bukhari is working hard to learn Braille, how to
use a talking computer, how to use his talking iPhone, English, and white cane
skills. On top of all of that, he is learning to navigate his new apartment and
live as independently as he can.

Congolese family application:

·We have officially applied to sponsor a
Congolese man named Malis and his three children. Malis is the brother of a
wonderful man named Mambo, friend of Wilna Parry. Mambo is a settlement worker
in the Burnaby schools and will be working with us to settle his family members
near his home in Surrey. We do not know how long it will take to receive them
in Vancouver, but we hope it will happen quickly!

Co-Sponsorship with Gulnar Carlisle:

·We have been working closely with Gulnar, who
has completed the sponsorship application for Asmaa and Ahmad and their 3
children. Ahmad is the brother of Said and the whole family is very excited to
see them again. There were several hold-ups in the processing of this
application, but it is all in the works now and we hope they will be able to
come to us soon. Gulnar has now gone to visit the family in the refugee camp in
Lebanon! Now she has seen firsthand that
the conditions are quite terrible and this will weigh heavily on Gulnar and all
of us who wish we could help more people, more quickly.

Fundraising:

Our group set a goal of raising
$75,000 to provide support for Bukhari and for Honada and Said’s family. The
total funds raised is now $111,064!!!!! Included in that amount is a bequest of
$20,000 that was received just before Christmas. This bequest was given by an
Anglican woman in North Vancouver who is no longer able to volunteer in her
church, as she had for many years, but who wants to see her funds put to good
use in the service of others. She knew that REST had purposely sponsored
refugees with significant medical needs and hoped that her gift would help to
provide for those challenges.

A huge round of applause goes out
to all of you who have participated in so many fundraisers, made requests of your
friends and family, and sent in your own funds to support this wonderful cause.
Yes, we are making a difference in the world and we will keep doing it with
your amazing support! Your time, treasure and talents have made so much
possible in one year.

This year has been very busy and very rewarding. A
HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have
provided support with your prayers, your funds and fundraising, your driving, your
patience, your services, and your kindness toward our new Canadians. An extra
big thankyou goes to the amazing team of translators who have provided such
caring and patient support in Arabic, Swahili and Somali.

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year. Please keep all
refugees in your thoughts and prayers.

Shannon Muir

REST Coordinator

If anyone needs a new year happy story, here is a link about
refugees brought to Guelph, sent to me by Susan Jasper. Thanks Susan!